Thailand, Cambodia hold ceasefire talks in Malaysia after deadly clashes

Al Jazeera

28-07-2025

Ceasefire talks have started between Thai and Cambodian leaders in Malaysia in an urgent effort to resolve deadly border clashes that entered a fifth day despite mounting international calls for peace.
Thailand's acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet are holding ceasefire talks on Monday in Malaysia's administrative capital of Putrajaya at the official residence of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the regional bloc ASEAN.
The talks between the two warring Southeast Asian countries hosted by Anwar are aimed at halting fighting that has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 270,000 from both sides of the Thailand-Cambodia border.
The ambassadors of the United States and China were also present at the meeting, the Malaysian official said on Monday, according to a report by the Reuters news agency.
In a post on X earlier on Monday, Hun said the purpose of the talks is to achieve an immediate ceasefire in the conflict with Thailand.
However, Phumtham, before departing Bangkok on Monday, told reporters: 'We do not believe Cambodia is acting in good faith, based on their actions in addressing the issue. They need to demonstrate genuine intent, and we will assess that during the meeting.'
Meanwhile, clashes broke out in several areas along Thailand's disputed border with Cambodia for a fifth day just hours ahead of the ceasefire talks.
Thai army spokesperson Colonel Richa Suksuwanon told reporters earlier on Monday that fighting erupted along the border, as gunfire could be heard at dawn in Samrong in Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, The Associated Press news agency reported.
On Sunday, Thailand said one person was killed and another injured after Cambodia fired a rocket in Sisaket province.
Thailand's military also reported that Cambodian snipers were camping in one of the contested temples, and accused Phnom Penh of surging troops along the border and hammering Thai territory with rockets.
Cambodia's Ministry of National Defence spokeswoman Maly Socheata on Monday accused Thailand of deploying 'a lot of troops' and firing 'heavy weapons' into the Cambodian territory.
Socheata claimed that before dawn on Monday, the Thai military targeted areas near the ancient Ta Muen Thom and the Ta Kwai temples, which Cambodia claims are its territory but are being disputed by Thailand.
She also accused the Thai military of firing smoke bombs from aircraft over Cambodian territory and heavy weapons at its soldiers, adding that Cambodian troops 'were able to successfully repel the attacks'.
Al Jazeera's Tony Cheng, reporting from Thailand's border province of Surin, said the mediators have been 'very reluctant' to acknowledge the holding of talks in the Malaysian capital.
'The Malaysian Foreign Ministry was incredibly nervous. Last week, they had said that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had brokered a peace deal only to be shot down very quickly by the Thai Foreign Ministry,' Cheng said.
Still, Cheng said a mounting death toll and the number of displaced people could give the two leaders the 'motivation' to resolve the crisis peacefully.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said US officials 'are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts', while Anwar told domestic media he would focus on securing an 'immediate ceasefire'.
China also welcomed efforts to end fighting and expressed hope that a ceasefire will be reached soon.
'We hope that both sides will start from the shared interests of their peoples, uphold the spirit of valuing peace and promoting good neighbourliness, remain calm and exercise restraint, cease fire and end the conflict as soon as possible,' foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.